On May 25 I arrived in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Freshly departed from an intense year of classwork for my master’s in international law and the settlement of disputes, my perspective on the state of the world was, in all honesty, quickly slipping from pragmatic to cynical. I was not expecting that arriving to research conflict in a country that most often makes news headlines for its high murder rates, gang violence, and political impunity, would so quickly bring me back from this.
Since arriving here in Honduras, we have been inundated, not with stories of tension and unresolved conflict, but with stories of collaboration, grassroots community development, and inspirational success. In the mountainous southern regions where we are working, coffee farming and water issues are inextricably linked. Thus, a main issue facing farmers and communities is securing watersheds (cuencas de agua) from fertilizers and other contamination created by the neighbouring coffee plantations, and agreeing on how to do so. Several regions of Honduras have already mastered this task, while others are on their way. The people we are here to work with have been the driving force behind much of this progress, and I am looking forward to hearing their experiences and learning as much as I can from them in the short time we are here.
This is my third time in Honduras and I hope not my last. Over the next few weeks, I hope to show you the Honduras that isn’t in the headlines (but should be) and share with you the reasons why I keep coming back…
Photo: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
